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United States Patent |
5,267,732
|
Bowen
,   et al.
|
December 7, 1993
|
Wall mounted sliding block puzzle
Abstract
A puzzle is provided, according to the preferred embodiment, having a
series of rectangular blocks assembled so as to be able to slide on the
surface of a rectangular planar back panel mounted in a vertical
orientation. A set of four frame members, two of which have engaging
tongue members and two of which have engaging groove members, are attached
thereto. Each of the rectangular blocks is configured with two
perpendicular, adjacent edge tongue members and two perpendicular groove
members oriented to mutually engage respective tongues and grooves of
other blocks and of the frame members of the puzzle. One space
substantially equal to the size of one block is left empty to permit block
movement. Each block has a magnet adapted to releasably engage a
complementary magnet on the back panel so that when the magnets are
engaged, the block positioned above an empty block space will not fall
into that space. A front facing surface of each block carries a portion of
a picture, for example, or a numeral so as to create an amusement puzzle.
Inventors:
|
Bowen; Walter L. (Matthews, NC);
Crites; Neal A. (Charlotte, NC);
Ephland; Peter K. (Charlotte, NC)
|
Assignee:
|
Soft Play, Inc. (Charlotte, NC)
|
Appl. No.:
|
923562 |
Filed:
|
August 3, 1992 |
Current U.S. Class: |
273/153S; 273/157R |
Intern'l Class: |
A63F 009/08 |
Field of Search: |
273/157 R,153 S
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1101567 | Jun., 1914 | Ridgway | 273/182.
|
1251400 | Dec., 1917 | Mees | 273/153.
|
3618955 | Nov., 1971 | Barnes | 273/157.
|
4177305 | Dec., 1979 | Feingold et al. | 273/157.
|
4269414 | May., 1981 | DeVos et al. | 273/153.
|
4422641 | Dec., 1983 | Collins et al. | 273/153.
|
4548410 | Oct., 1985 | Morrone | 273/153.
|
4836548 | Jun., 1989 | Chittenden | 273/153.
|
5074561 | Dec., 1991 | Johnson | 273/153.
|
Primary Examiner: Millin; Vincent
Assistant Examiner: Wong; Steven B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Olive & Olive
Claims
What is claimed as new is:
1. A puzzle, comprising:
(a) a substantially rectangular back panel having a planar front surface;
(b) a plurality of rectangular sliding blocks of substantially equal size
and each said sliding block having a planar surface and adapted to being
slidingly placed in a location on said front surface of said back panel in
edge to edge contact so that there remains a location of a size equal to
one of said sliding blocks on said back panel having no sliding block
thereon, and each said sliding block having;
(i) projecting sliding means integrally formed along a first two adjacent
edges thereof; and
(ii) concave elongate sliding means integrally formed along a second two
adjacent edges thereof;
(c) a first pair of elongate frame members having integrally formed upon
each a projecting sliding means and secured to said front surface of said
back panel with said frame member sliding means facing inwardly along two
selected adjacent edges thereof;
(d) a second pair of elongate frame members having integrally formed into
each a concave elongate sliding means and secured to said front surface of
said back panel with said concave elongate sliding means facing inwardly
along two different adjacent edges thereof than said first frame members
having said projecting sliding means;
(e) a plurality of releasable retaining means mounted on said back panel in
a plurality of positions corresponding to each location of said blocks and
said location where there is no block; and
(f) complementary releasable retaining means located on each of said blocks
and adapted to interengage with said back panel retaining means in
releasable securement when said sliding block is juxtaposed on said block
position and to not interact with said retaining means when said block is
positioned otherwise.
2. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 in which said retaining means comprise
magnets having defined poles of opposite polarity.
3. The puzzle as claimed in claim 2 in which said magnets are assembled
with one pole of each magnet mounted on said back panel being aligned in
the same direction and an opposite pole of each said magnet mounted on
each said sliding block being aligned in a complementary direction so that
said magnets on said back panel attract said magnets on said sliding
blocks.
4. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 in which said retaining means are
positioned at the approximate center of each of said sliding blocks and in
comparable positions to the position of each said sliding block center on
said back panel.
5. The puzzle as claimed in claim 4 in which said projecting sliding means
comprise tongues and said concave elongate sliding means comprise grooves.
6. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a picture displayed
in part on each of said sliding blocks and adapted to be meaningful when
said sliding blocks are oriented in selected positions.
7. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 in which all components of the puzzle
other than said magnets, are formed of non-magnetic material.
8. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said back panel, block and
frame members are vertically oriented and said releasable retaining means
are operative with said puzzle vertically oriented.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of puzzles, and more
particularly to puzzles having sliding or manipulable parts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A form of puzzle which has been popular for many years has a series of
rectangular blocks mounted on a common surface and generally residing in a
common plane adjacent and parallel to that of the surface. The blocks are
interlocked with each other and with a frame so that the blocks may be
moved in the plane adjacent the common surface, but not removed from the
frame. The blocks are configured so as to permit movement in two
directions perpendicular to each other and parallel to the plane of the
common surface, but not otherwise. The visible surface of the blocks have
a series of numerals or an overall picture arranged so that when the
blocks are in proper orientation, a meaningful pattern can be seen and
when the blocks are disoriented, the pattern is jumbled.
A sliding block puzzle of the type described above is the subject of U.S.
Pat. No. 1,101,567 for "Puzzle" to C. L. Ridgway. The puzzle of the '567
patent has numbers from 1-15 on each block and the blocks may be arranged
in different sequences to vary the challenge.
In recent years, it has become common for places of public amusement,
especially amusement places for children, such as, for example, fast food
restaurants, to have large play devices for the clientelle to use. Up to
now these devices have been mainly climbing and riding equipment. If a
sliding block puzzle were made in a large size, it would be a positive
addition to the equipment of such a play area. However, it is recognized
that a puzzle such as that described would be best used in a vertical
orientation, since a large play puzzle in a horizontal plane would require
a lot of room and would be subject to being damaged if young players were
to ride or stand on the pieces. A drawback to using this type puzzle in a
vertical orientation however is that since it is necessary to retain one
block space empty in order to permit the pieces to be moved, a block above
an empty space would tend to fall down into that space.
The present invention makes it possible for the type of puzzle described
above, previously useable only in a substantially horizontal orientation
(large or small) to be used while mounted on a vertical surface, such as a
wall or post.
Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a sliding block
puzzle that can be used while in a vertical plane.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide a sliding block
puzzle constructed such that, when used in a vertical plane, the block
directly above an empty space is prevented from falling.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to permit the blocks
associated with a sliding block puzzle to be moved freely from position to
position when so moved by a user.
These and other objectives will become apparent as the description of the
preferred embodiment is disclosed below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The sliding block puzzle of the invention comprises a series of slidable
blocks placed within a frame on a back panel. Each of the blocks and each
of the frame members has tongues and grooves complementarily arranged so
that, with one space equal to the size of a block remaining empty on the
back panel, the blocks will slide within the frame in directions parallel
to the back panel when moved by a user. In order to be able to mount the
puzzle in a vertical orientation and not have a block which is above the
empty space fall down into the empty space, magnets are mounted in the
rear of each block and in mating positions on the front surface of the
panel. The magnets releasably hold the blocks in the position to which
moved, and allow free movement by the user to other positions in the
puzzle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the sliding block puzzle of the
invention when oriented to display a picture in a meaningful arrangement.
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view as in FIG. 1 but with the picture
disoriented.
FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the back panel of the puzzle.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the puzzle of the invention taken along
line 4--4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rear of a sliding block of the
invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the sliding block taken in the
direction of line 6--6 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a corner cap used in the puzzle of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A rectangular shaped sliding block puzzle 10 according to the invention is
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Comparing the two figures indicates that
FIG. 1 contains the slidable blocks 12 in respective base positions and in
proper orientation so that the picture is coordinated and FIG. 2 has the
picture uncoordinated. In each FIGS. 1 and 2 is an empty space which is
approximately the size of one sliding block 12 and through which one can
see the back panel 16 and back magnet 18 which is embedded therein. Puzzle
10 is assembled with tongue frame strips 14 which border two adjacent
sides and groove frame strips 34 which border two other adjacent sides and
complete the rectangle. Whereas the preferred embodiment depicted herein
relates to a substantially square puzzle, the principles contained extend
to any rectangular shape. The requirement of one space in which there is
no block allows the other blocks to be manipulated and applies regardless
of the size or shape of the puzzle.
Beginning with the configuration shown in FIG. 1 and with the puzzle 10 in
a vertical orientation, the user of puzzle 10 may, for example, slide the
block containing the zebra's nose from its present block position down
into the empty lower right block position, thereby emptying the right
center block position. The user could next move the sliding block from the
upper right corner down or move the block containing the zebra's chest to
the right into the space vacated. The objective is to disorient and
reorient the zebra, or other selected design, to its correct appearance. A
similar puzzle function may be performed by affixing numerals to the front
surface of the sliding blocks 12 rather than portions of a picture. It is
important during this block manipulation process with puzzle 10 in a
vertically mounted position to both keep the sliding blocks 12 from
escaping frame 14, 34 and to also stay in the respective individual
positions in which they are put without any of the blocks falling
spontaneously into a lower empty space. In this regard, the blocks 12 are
kept from escaping from frame 14, 34 by use of a conventional sliding
puzzle tongue and groove system. Of greater significance to the invention
is the provision of means for keeping any block 12 from falling down into
an open space below when the puzzle is in a vertical position. This block
holding feature of the invention is accomplished by use of releasable
retaining means adapted to releasably hold each block in a block position
when not being moved by a user. The mating pairs of magnets used in the
preferred embodiment comprise the selected releasably retaining means
employed as further described below.
FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the back panel 16 with the back magnets
18 in place. Back panel 16 is of essentially the same size and same shape
as the completed puzzle 10 seen in FIGS. 1, 2. Back panel 16 is a planar,
fairly thin panel, having a plurality of back magnets 18 fixedly mounted
in an equal plurality of holes formed therein for that purpose. An
appropriate material for back panel 16 is ABS (acrylonitrile styrene
butadiene) plastic sheet, available from a variety of sources. The design
disclosed recognizes that all components of the puzzle 10 are to be made
of non-magnetic materials except those that are specifically magnets. Back
magnets 18 are arranged so as to place one magnet 18 behind each space
over which a block 12 is capable of being placed. In the preferred
embodiment, each back magnet 18 is at the approximate center of a block
space, but other than central placement is possible as long as each back
magnet 18 is mounted such that it can be matingly positioned with any
block magnet 28 on a sliding block 12.
Around the periphery of back panel 16 are a series of drilled holes 17
positioned so as to receive screws 30 therethrough which fixedly secure
the frame strips 14, 34 together. Matching holes may, optionally, be
drilled in frame strips 14, 34 or self drilling screws may be used.
A typical sliding block 12 is depicted in FIG. 5 in perspective view and in
FIG. 6 in section through its center. Sliding block 12 is substantially
square in the preferred embodiment, with the length of its sides adapted
so that three such sliding blocks 12 fit slidingly in a row either in the
horizontal or the vertical direction between frame members 14, 34 (FIGS.
1, 2). Two adjacent sides of sliding block 12 have a protruding block
tongue 20 positioned parallel to the major planar surfaces thereof at
approximately the mid-point between the front and rear edges thereof.
Block tongue 20 may be formed continous along the edges of block 12 or may
be comprised of a series of protruding blocks or pegs. The other two
adjacent sides of sliding block 12 have inset block grooves 22 therealong
positioned similarly so that the block tongue 20 of one sliding block 12
mates slidingly with the block groove 22 of an adjacent sliding block 12
and equally into the grooves of groove frame strips 34. This relationship
may be readily seen by reference to FIG. 4 taken through the puzzle 10
along line 4--4 of FIG. 1.
As is seen in FIG. 4, block tongue 20 of sliding block 12 fits into block
groove 22a of adjacent sliding block 12a. At the opposite edge of sliding
block 12a, block tongue 20a is held between frame lip 36 of frame strip 34
and back panel 16 in sliding engagement. The same relationship exists at
the right end of FIG. 4 where a frame tongue 32 of tongue frame strip 14
engages a block groove 22b of sliding block 12b.
Returning to FIGS. 5 and 6, at the approximate center of each sliding block
12 and on the rear surface thereof, a magnet nest 26 is formed integrally
with each sliding block 12. Magnet nest 26 terminates at a level equal to
or slightly below that of the side edges of sliding block 12 and is firmly
reinforced with a plurality of ribs 24. Magnet nest 26 is essentially a
tubular structure having an inside diameter to accommodate a block magnet
28 inserted and secured therein. The inner bore of magnet nest 26 is
formed with a step 27 at a distance from the outer extremity of sliding
block 12 so as to maintain block magnet 28 flush with or protruding beyond
the length of magnet nest 26 by a small amount. An adhesive may,
optionally, be used to securely retain each block magnet 28 in its
respective magnet nest 26 and to retain each back magnet 18 in its
respective mating hole in back panel 16. The front surface 13 of each
sliding block 12 is shown as being flat with the picture applied directly
thereto. Alternatively, front surface 13 may be configured with a
depression to accept an inset portion of the picture on a laminating
panel.
Since all sliding blocks 12 will be moved around to all locations on back
panel 16 at various times it is necessary that all sliding blocks 12 and
all possible block positions on back panel 16 be interchangeable. This
condition of interchangeability is accomplished by two parameters. One
requirement is that the polarity of all the magnets serving as the
respective block magnets 28 be the same and that the polarity of all the
magnets serving as the respective back magnets 16 be opposite to the
polarity of the block magnets 28. The other requirement is that on
assembly the blocks 12 and frame strip members 14, 34 must be oriented in
the same direction relative to back panel 16 so that all tongues and
grooves will correctly engage. Sliding blocks 12 may be made by injection
molding utilizing a durable plastics resin such as ABS. The sizing of
sliding blocks 12 are also established so as to allow free movement around
back panel 16 while restricting movement in the direction perpendicular to
back panel 16 to enhance the effectiveness of magnets 18, 28.
Any permanent magnet material will function as the magnets for the
objectives of the invention, so long as the size and the strength obtained
provide satisfactory operation. It has been found that a particularly
effective permanent magnet for use as the retaining means is made of a
neodymium sintered alloy.
During use of the puzzle 10 in a vertical plane, when a sliding block 12 is
in position with its block magnet 28 opposite a back magnet 16, the
sliding block 12 will be held in its position and will not fall due to
gravity. Subsequently, when a user moves sliding block 12, the force of
engagement between back magnet 18 and block magnet 28 does not excessively
restrict such movement.
Frame strips 14, 34 as seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 are each made with a constant
cross section, as, for example, by the process of extrusion. A preferred
material for strips 14, 34 is aluminum. At the corners where frame strips
14, 34 meet, corner caps 40 are assembled to smoothly and securely join
adjacent frame strips. A typical corner cap 40 is shown in perspective
view in FIG. 7. Corner cap 40 is configured of three integrally formed
components comprising the illustrated frame corner 42 and two corner arms
44. The size and contour of corner arms 44 are adapted to permit the arms
to be inserted into an internal cavity of each frame strip 14, 34, and the
shape of frame corner 42 is such that it will blend with the outer contour
of frame strips 14, 34. Corner cap 40 is configured to be securely
captured by two adjacent frame members 14, 34, (FIG. 7), and therefore a
fastener attachment means is not needed.
As described herein, the sliding block puzzle of the invention satisfies
the objectives of enabling the puzzle, either in a large or a small size
and in any rectangular form, to be used in a vertical orientation and in a
manner such that any sliding block ready to be played is prevented from
falling into a lower empty space except as moved thereto by the user.
While the primary purpose of the invention involves use of a sliding block
puzzle in a vertical orientation, it will be understood that the sliding
block puzzle according to the invention may be used in other orientations
as well. Therefore, the details of the preferred embodiment are not to be
construed as limitations on the principles and scope of this invention,
which are defined by the claims to follow.
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